Bursaries, Scholarships and Awards

RAD bursaries, scholarships and competitions provide opportunities for young people to gain performance experience and to further their study and training.

The 2022 Australian Advanced 1 Bursary

The 2022 Australian Advanced 1 Bursary will be filmed with a return to a live format for the competition planned in 2023.

Application and fee

All entries must be made on the official application via TryBooking. The Bursary is held annually and the award, if made, is provided for further classical ballet training in the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus and associated pre-professional training upon agreement with the Royal Academy of Dance. The Bursary is offered at the discretion of the Academy.

Key dates for entry

Entries open: 31 January 2022
Entries close: 31 March 2022
Filming due: 3 May 2022

Entry requirements

Candidates must fulfill the following by the closing date of Bursary:

Be a current financial member of the Royal Academy of Dance.
Be of non-professional status, meaning they are not engaged by a professional company or production on a regular basis as a paid dancer.
Have passed the Royal Academy of Dance Advanced 1 Examination (with Distinction).
Be 17 years of age or under at 31 December in the Bursary year (i.e. will not turn 18 at any time in the Bursary year).
Have not yet taken the Academy’s Advanced 2 Examination.
Have not been selected as a finalist in the Australian Advanced 1 Bursary in previous years.
Have submitted a completed entry on TryBooking by the closing date published on the website.
Have submitted a signed Bursary Filming and Recording Consent Form.
The required fee, also published on the RAD website each year, has been paid with the entry.
Students may re-apply for the Bursary as many times as they wish, provided the entry requirements are met and they have not previously been a finalist.

Location

In 2022 the Australian Advanced 1 Bursary is a wholly filmed competition. Applicants will be required to film their entry and submit it to be judged in the Semi Finals for each State or Territory in Australia. The winners from each State or Territory will then be judged in the final selection.

Format

The format of the Semi Finals and Finals comprise the following:

Candidates should complete their own warm up prior to completing the classwork. Warm up does not need to be filmed.
Classwork – selection of exercises syllabus and non-syllabus exercises (centre only) at Advanced 1 level – to be provided to entrants after the closing date.
Classical Variation taken from the Repertoire List provided in this document.

Audio recordings of Classical variations and Classwork music will be available prior to the competition.

Adjudication for the Bursary comprises the Classwork and Classical Variation. Candidates are required to participate in all components of the Bursary to be eligible for a prize.

The Dancers’ Own Variation will not be a part of the format in 2022 but will return when the Bursary returns to a live format in 2023.

Semi finals

Candidates will film their Classwork and Classical Variation in two separate elements/files. Filmed elements should be clearly named as follows:
<Candidate Name_element_state>.

A separate link for each of the (two) filmed elements should be provided by the candidate to the RAD Guidelines for Filming Your Entry section below prior to the final submission date.

Candidates are responsible for their own warm-up barre prior to filming their submission. A pianist is not a requirement for accompaniment.

Classwork (provided following the closing date) will be set by the RAD or a guest teacher. The purpose of the classwork is to assess the students’ technique, musicality and performance abilities in various styles of work, which will be set by the teacher, who will not take any part in the judging.

A short free movement section is included within the classwork and filming should be continuous without interruption. However, a short pause is acceptable for the candidate to take a drink break at this point. Music for the free movement section will be provided in the classwork component. The free movement section can be completed with or without pointe shoes and can be classical or neo-classical in interpretation.

Semi Final Outcome and Award

The Semi Final Judge will assess the Classwork and Classical variation. All decisions are final.
Normally one student from each State or Territory will progress to the Final. Additional places may be offered at the discretion of the adjudicator and RAD if there are a large number of Semi Finalists.

Final

The Finalist entries will be judged by a panel of two new adjudicators. No additional footage is required for finalists.

Final Outcome and Award

The Judging Panel will assess the Classwork and Classical variation. All decisions are final.
The Bursary is to be used to further the winner’s training and career development as follows with training in the RAD method (up to $5,000) or other method (up $2,000), and/or against material/equipment needed for the winner to continue their training. In all cases evidence of prior payment or purchases or provision of tuition must be forwarded and payments will be offset against eligible costs.
The Bursary will normally be awarded to a single candidate. The Academy reserves the right to withhold the Bursary if the required standard is not met.
The Bursary winner must commence further study within 12 months of the date of the award. This time limit can only be extended at the Academy’s discretion, and any funds not used within two years of the date of the award will be forfeited.
Students who do not follow these rules and regulations of entry may be disqualified.
The Academy reserves the right to alter the Bursary Rules and Conditions of Entry at any time and without prior notice.

Variations

A list of classical variations can be found in the Advanced 1 Bursary Rules and Conditions. As per the Academy’s policy, candidates may enter for their preferred syllabus according to the gender with which they choose to identify in relation to this event.

Music
Recorded music and musical scores are available to download from the Members Area.

Dress Code

Classwork

The Academy’s recommended Vocational Graded Examination uniform. For female candidates, pointe shoes are required for the pointe work section of the class and for the Classical Variation.

No costumes or props should be used during the free movement section of the Classwork. Candidates can choose whether or not to wear pointe shoes in this section.

Classical Repertoire Variations

The costume is the candidates’ choice, but should be appropriate to the variation and a head-dress may be worn; alternatively, a leotard with tutu or appropriate skirt of any matching colour may be worn for females.